noontec ZORO II Wireless: Excellence Without Wires

Website:

http://www.noontecusa.com/product/noontec-zoro-wireless-stereo-headphones

SPECS:
http://www.noontecusa.com/product/noontec-zoro-wireless-stereo-headphones
Driver Type                    Dynamic / 40mm
Plug Type                       3.5mm
Cord Length                  1.2m
Frequency Response     13 Hz – 26 kHz
Sensitivity                       108 dB / mW @ 1 kHz
Bluetooth                         2.4G
Max Distance               ~ 10m (33ft)
Charge Time                ~ 3 Hours
Music Playtime            ~ 20 hours
Weight                            170g

WHERE TO BUY / COST:

http://www.noontecusa.com/product/noontec-zoro-wireless-stereo-headphones

$149 new

TEST TRACKS

Wrapped Around Your Finger by Baby Deli Music is impactful, fun, and balanced from bass to treble. No distortion is heard even at high volumes and instrument separation remains clear.

Pink Noise from Ayer’s Irrational, But Efficacious CD  – Tyll Hertsens taught me to listen to pink noise as a starting point for finding issues with the frequency response.  If one area sounds / feels out of place then the headphone is probably not neutral.  The ZORO II Wireless sounds very even with a hint of bass emphasis. No peaks in the midrange or treble were detected.

OVERVIEW

Already familiar with the ZORO II HD decided to review the ZORO I Wireless hoping that it is essentially a wireless headphone that keeps the sound signature of the ZORO II HD. Bluetooth headphones are abundant these days, but finding one that sounds great and has all of the functionality to be easy to use is difficult. The ZORO II Wireless is a very surprising headphone in that it is wonderfully thought out, has awesome audio quality, and is super easy to setup and use. Because of these reasons they are currently my headphone of the year. They do so many things right and really do not have any major flaws.

AESTHETICS

The looks are clean, simple, and free from any major missteps. The headband is fully padded all and the earcups are firmly cushioned with what feels like memory foam. At 170g they are very light and can be worn for hours. They are offered in black or white giving at least two style options. The brushed steel inlay feels sleek, solid, and is not overbearing. The Bluetooth controls are awesome. Each button has at least two functions making them easy to use and comprehensive. To change the volume just hold the button down, to change the song simply double click and to connect to a device press and hold. Perhaps some will find the location of the controls on the earcups problematic versus having them attached to a dongle, but this keeps any cables from being on a wireless headphone.

ACOUSTICS

Unamped: I tested the ZORO II Wireless using an iPod touch 5^th Gen and my Andoid phone. Unlike many other Bluetooth headphones, these sound almost identical wireless versus wired. Typically I hear noise, a significant drop in bass control, or even a complete loss in clarity when going from wired to wireless. These babies sound awesome via Bluetooth. There is a subtle change is sound signature, which is expected considering that there is no high quality amp driving the headphones while in wireless mode. To me the resolution is slightly decreased and the bass does soften a bit, but these changes are very small.

If wired listening is desired the cable is easily attached and comes stock with 3.5mm termination at both ends. Remember that this is a TRRRS mic cable so it does have the extra ring for mic control. All of my gear easily accommodated this feature, but it could cause problems with other devices. The 3.5mm jack fit easily into both my phone and iPod although the cover for the jack comes awfully close to interfering with the cases of both. I would like to see 3mm of recession from the end of the cover to the start of the jack plug, which would ensure that it will not interfere with more protruding cases. iPod listening sounds extremely good keeping detail, bass, and treble extension all in check. The midrange is somewhat up-front sounding which for vocals and guitar is a must, but on other tracks may sound a bit shouty or blunt. I spent hours trying to find something from my reference collection that did not jive with the ZORO II Wireless, but honestly everything sounds great.

Testing John Williams’ Double Trouble from the Harry Potter soundstrack does reveal that the treble is slightly rolled off. I find that you either end up with a slightly bassy headphone, which was the case for the ZORO II Wireless, or with a treble emphasized headphone. To me bass is more fun sounding while treble leads to strident listening. The ZORO II Wireless is not the most detailed in the treble making it non-ideal for competitive gaming, although I do use it with my XBOX One and find it is very competent as a general gaming headset.

Amped:  Amped the major improvement is in the bass control be it subtle. Having an impedance of just 16 Ohms this was expected. Most headphones that have an impedance above 150 Ohms can be a little device selective, but at 16 Ohms no wild changes in the bass were heard. Having an amp behind the ZORO II Wireless also speeds up the dynamics making it more direct in its sound signature. This sounds like it moves up the soundstage while simultaneously improving instrument separation. I would say do not expect significant improvements amping this headphone.

I did compare the ZORO II Wireless to the ZORO II HD. I heard the HD being a bit more even from bass to treble and the Wireless as bass emphasized. The differences were subtle, even in the bass, and may even be driver differences rather than headphone type discrepancies.

CONCLUSION

The ZORO II Wireless headphone is one that should be celebrated both by the listener and everyone over at noontec that worked on it. The design, sound quality, and ease of use make it one of my favorite headphones…period. The sound signature is up-front without being annoyingly in your face. The bass is wonderfully clear, midrange gracious to vocals and guitar, and the treble is pleasantly rolled off moving away from the danger zone of being bright. The earcups are extremely comfortable especially considering they rest on your ears. The headband is comfortable with no pressure points. Being controlled wirelessly the headphone does not lose its overall sound signature making a very versatile and listenable headphone. The wireless range is over 20 ft which I tested through at this range and through at least one solid wood door. It connects to devices easily and the controls are well thought out. If you are in the market for a wireless headphone with slight bass emphasis this headphone is for you. Well done noontec!

Logitech G430: A Detail Monster

INTRO

I am constantly looking out for great sounding headphones that can be found for under $100. To me this is the ideal price point to get into great sounding headphones that will last more than a few months. I discovered Logitech’s G430 gaming headset at a local Best Buy. The colors and build quality caught my eye and when I actually took a listen…WOW! The soundstage was huge like out of your head huge. The demo included some 7.1 surround music and game sounds which really tailored well to the G430. It is advertised as a surround sound headphone, but understanding that it only has one 40mm driver, I knew that it had to be more about the software than hardware and it was.

I love the Turtle Beach X12, but the audio quality is lacking especially in detail and treble extension. The soundstage is also small on the X12. The G430 comes through as a more even sounding headphone in that the bass and treble are more in line with each other. The soundstage is also much larger.

G430 Earcups and Mic

OVERVIEW

The Logitech G430 is a well-designed headphone that keeps comfort and sonics in check. The cable is long enough to extend to my console, the mic folds away, and the sound is very favorable. Because of the sonic improvements over the X12 it can be used both for gaming and music listening which is huge if you, like me, listen to a ton of music. The headphone itself is designed primarily for PC use due to its split stereo and mic connectors. This does not mean that you cannot use it with a console. I did it simply with a $10 adapter so it will not be difficult for you to do the same.

The G430 is advertised as a 7.1 surround sound headphone. Claims like this always bother me because in order to be 7.1 there have to be 7 drivers. This headphone has only one 40 mm driver which brings up the software. The software is horrible to install. At least it was on my 64-bit Windows 7 machine. First you plug in the headphone via USB dongle ( included ) and the PC installs the driver for the headphone. It even prompts for a firmware update. Nice, I thought! Installing the gaming software from Logitech’s software is where things fell apart. Half the time the installer will not run. The other half of the time it overwrites the driver for the headphone replacing it with a stereo driver instead of leaving the 7.1 driver installed. This removes the 7.1 surround functionality of the headphone. A quick call to tech support reveals that Logitech is aware of the issue and I am not sure why they have not fixed it yet. If you uninstall the stereo driver and unplug and plug in the headset again the correct driver will finally be installed with the gaming software active. The issue then becomes the volume controls and EQ. I found that they did not work with any 3D/7.1 demo I had laying around. The software is the downfall for this headphone. I decided to not use the software and just keep the 7.1 driver installed.

AESTHETICS

G430 Flat View

The G430 comes off as a higher-end headphone compared to the X12. The plastic, colors, and overall look of the headphone just feels like Logitech took into account looks as well as audio quality. The earcups are larger than the X12’s and they swivel which makes fitting them to your head a no fuss event. The headband is easily adjusted with sliders and it is padded well. I did find that the padding on the headband is narrow enough to create some pressure issues, but I just move the headband slightly to overcome this problem. A wider foam strip would have been better. The cable is covered with a blue nylon sheath protecting the cable from wear and tear. The cable is pretty thin and I worry a about its long term durability, but each end is strain relieved making it one of the more thought out designs I have seen. Two feet from the earcup lies the mic volume control. It includes a simple on/off switch. Below that is another six feet of cable giving you plenty of room to plug into just about anything.

The G430 is too big to be considered for portable use and because of the connectors it is not ideal for connecting to a portable device. You can use it with your phone if you use the stereo/mic adapter which is nice if you do need it for call.

ACOUSTICS

The sound quality is where the G430 moves well beyond the X12. This thing sounds awesome with games and music. It especially sounds pleasing with my reference material. I was surprised by this because most gaming headphones are tailored towards a thick midrange and beefy bottom end, but the G430 is very even sounding making it easy to listen to music for hours.

Benny Carter’s When Lights Are Low from the In Copenhagen – Benny Carter album sound engaging, rhythmic, and very even. The bass is clear and in check with the splash of the cymbals. The snare hits hard and the sax is easy on the ears, but in full force.

Great Big Sea’s Something To It found as a bonus track on their Rant And Roar album reveals just how awesome vocals sound with the G430.  The slight echo from the singer’s voice, the chime of the metallic guitar strings, and the soft feel of the fiddle all come in very clear.

I did find that music listening can be a bit too bassy with the G430 as in rumble your head bassy. Try listening to Bella Sonus’ Rincón de España. That tracks freed my eardrums from the pull of gravity with the G430. A few tweeks using EQ, primarily lowing the bottom 3 bass frequencies by 2-4 dB each, balances out the G430. Heck, some of you might really enjoy the extra bass. I did with some tracks, but with some of my reference material the bass was just a bit too in my face.

I tested the G430 playing Destiny on the XBOX One and with Star Wars: The Old Republic on PC. On both I found the G430 as a very competent gaming headset.  The audio is crisp with the bass and treble extension dipping well into the extremes. Directional cues come in clear because of the better treble extension and a more realistic midrange make the G430 great for chat. One caveat is that sometimes the headphone likes to cut out during chat. I cannot tell if it is because it is drawing too much power from the controller or something is causing interference. In most cases asking the person in chat noticing the issue to reset their stereo adapter cured the problem. Sometimes I was the one who did the adapter resetting, but in most cases the headphone does well in chat. It is certainly a weakness, but more of the controller design, and not of the headphone itself.

On PC they stunned me! I booted up The Old Republic, waited for a large patch to download, and when the game finally loaded my ears could not believe it. I toured the open world of Yavin IV and the environment was so real sounding. The left/right channel separation was beyond the capabilities of the X12. The slight ambient echoes, the chirp of birds, and the rustle of leaves make the G430 one of the best PC headsets, in regards to sound reproduction, I have found. I cannot believe how great they sound on the PC.

CONCLUSION

If like me your financial sweet spot for gaming headphone is below $100 then Logitech’s G430 is one to consider.  It is easy to setup, sounds awesome, and can be used for music as well as gaming. Neither will disappoint. They look great and stand out as a more thought out headphone than the Turtle Beach X12. The chat functionality is one thing to consider as a fault because it did not always cooperate using the stereo adapter as the only source for the headphone. Keep that in mind if you aren’t willing to fiddle with your controller every now and then. Otherwise the G430 is a real standout headphone. The earcups are washable, the cable protected and strain relieved, and the sound remains one of the best in quality I have heard in a gaming headphone.

LINKS

G430 at Logitech

Stereo mic adapter at Amazon

The Turtle Beach X12: Popular for a Reason

INTRO

Audio keeps us engaged. It moves us, it informs us, and it even helps us communicate. These all come together beautifully in gaming. Today games are as much social as they are fun, keeping us connected to friends and family, bringing us together. Headphones are a big part of how we interact so it makes sense that having better headphones will make these experiences more enjoyable.

From the deep bass rumble of an explosion, the realism of gunfire, even the background music and sound effects, audio is a huge factor on how games move us. Even having a clear mic during a chat session can set the tone for an entire gaming session. This is why I am always searching for new headphones that take the gaming experience to a whole new level.

Let’s get this out of the way…the stock headsets that comes with just about any console out there are terrible and very limited. The build quality is often shotty and they are really just a poor mic attached to a really bad speaker. They completely disregard stereo sound and any sort of fidelity. Many of you have probably started looking for a gaming headset. You may have even tried a few, but are now looking for something bit better. These reviews will cover a variety of gaming headphones, put through the paces by a fellow gamer, so you can purchase one that best fits your needs. Look no further friends, I have your six!

 

x12 Cables and Amp

OVERVIEW

The Turtle Beach X12 has been around for years. It’s still one of the least expensive headsets of quality available and because of its ability to connect to both the Xbox and PC, it’s versatile. I discovered the X12 when I started to dig around for low-cost headsets for my Xbox 360. I play a ton of shooters and online games and needed something great sounding that included a good mic.

The biggest draws to the X12 are that is sounds great, can be worn for hours with no discomfort, and can be replaced for less than $60. I’m rough on my gaming headphones. I’m either packing them away for travel, moving them from console to PC, or tucking them out of the way for an upcoming get-together. Affordable makes them easily replaceable without the daunting thought of throwing away big bucks.

The X12 is an excellent starting place into the vast universe of gaming headphones.

AESTHETICS

x12 Earcups and Mic

The X12 is not the most stylish headphone. Your friends are not going to walk in and ask what headphone it is and can they give it a listen. It neither makes a statement nor does it scream hi-end. It does have a simple design making it easy to hide among your gaming gear. It is mostly black with some green highlights so you can tuck it behind a TV or even off to the side and not draw attention. The earcups are not pleather. They are cloth which is a huge plus. They will not cook your ears while you game. They isolate well, but allow you to hear what is going on in the real world. The stock pop-filter that covers the mic hides breathing and room noise well. The cables are labeled and color coded making plugging them in a breeze. Pro Tip: If you plan on using them with the XBOX One make sure you pick up the Xbox Stereo Headset Adapter.

The X12 is not a portable headphone because it has too many cables and is really designed for desktop or console use. Even the way it connects will not allow it to be used with a portable adequately. Keep this in mind if you need a portable gaming headphone.

The headphone is nice-looking in that the colors are well thought out and there are no offensive labels or decals. They feel well-made and there are some great features attached to the X12. The earcups swivel making fit really easy. The headband adjusts and the boom mic can be moved. I like to think they’re designed with sound and functionality in mind over their looks, but you won’t be embarrassed by having them as part of your gaming rig.

ACOUSTICS

Sonically the X12 is very competent. It comes stock with a bass boost option built right into the headphone amp. It also has independent volume controls for chat and game. This is ideal for optimizing your preferred volumes. If you need to dial back the game volume during a raid just turn down the dial. If you are really into the score or sound effects in a game then turning down the chat and the game volume up is a cinch. Controls like these are a must for any gamer looking to get the most out of their experience.

Footsteps, surface textures and materials, along with environmental ambience are all distinguishable. Playing Bungie’s most recent title Destiny with the X12 easily renders player positions and map action. The snap charge of supers can easily be pinpointed and avoided. Heavy weapon callouts are clear and the map ambiance remains a highlight with the X12. Perhaps a bit lacking in texture and the finest of detail, but the X12 still does a great job at going beyond a stock headset. And because the mic is so good I find no issues using chat and nobody ever complains about how I sound.

Testing the X12 with music reveals that they are a dark headphone with emphasis on the lower midrange and bass. They are in no way boomy so expect clean bass rather than overwhelming bass rumble. If you are a bass-head enthusiast you probably should look at another headset. The overall sound signature is laid back making it very easy to listen for hours. My reference material did not sound particularly gracious with the X12, but I did not buy them with reference listening in mind.

Imogen’s Heap’s instrumental Propeller Heads reveals a weakness in the treble. The lack of treble tends to hide a bit of the soundstage. The overall clarity is not as revealing as my AKG K712 Pro reference headphones, but these are two headphones designed for two different applications.

Vivaldi Guitar and Lute from the The Spanish Guitar Music Colección did sound very engaging and similar to my reference rig. This indicates that the midrange is lush and accurate making the X12 ideal for games where chat is a must.

While gaming they sound very dynamic, even, with nothing out of place or obviously wrong. They engage the game audio and allow chat to come in very clearly. I do find that gunshots can sound a bit too loud and this is one pitfall for the X12. Certain sounds such as gunshots hurt my ears even with the volume turned down a bit. I found myself either switching to a different sounding weapon or turning the volume down below the ideal listening level. The X12 isn’t the best competitive headphone either because of its minimal soundstage and lack of treble clarity. At times the resolving power of the much more expensive AKG K712 Pro and Beyerdynamics DT990 far surpasses the detail of the X12, but for a headphone under $100 the X12 does a great job.

CONCLUSION

The X12 remains a solidly constructed headset. The acoustic performance leans towards gaming rather than music listening. The mic is one of the best I have found. The headphone comfort level is polite, with perhaps a bit too much clamping force for some. The ease of setup allows the X12 to be quickly connected. The independent volume controls make optimizing sound levels very easy. Perhaps the X12 is not the most competent headphone in regards to treble clarity and positioning, but is easily one of my favorite headphones for under $100 because it has so many strengths.

LINKS

Turtle Beach x12

XBOX Stereo Adapter at Amazon.com